So, I've been climbing for about five months now and I've been loving it. Two months ago, I bought a brand new pair of Red Chili climbing shoes.

The shoes are brilliant; they have brilliant grip and they're nice and small.

The problem is that, while the shoes are wide enough, they're too short. I've been wearing them as much as possible, but within half an hour of wearing them my big toe hurts very badly due to being bent and scraping on the shoe so much.

If I stretch my toes out, they fit comfortably but It's difficult to hold me feet in that stretched position for very long.

I really like the shoes, with the exception of the length. I was wondering what suggestions you all had for stretching them out.

It probably won't stretch after 2 months. You've chosen a too tight one, suck it up, size the next one better. Alternatively you could send it to a resoler, they might be able to do something with it (here the resoler is able to stretch/shrink up to 2 euro sizes, but he also manufactures his own brand, so probably he has special tools for that)

So, I've been climbing for about five months now and I've been loving it. Two months ago, I bought a brand new pair of Red Chili climbing shoes.

The shoes are brilliant; they have brilliant grip and they're nice and small.

The problem is that, while the shoes are wide enough, they're too short. I've been wearing them as much as possible, but within half an hour of wearing them my big toe hurts very badly due to being bent and scraping on the shoe so much.

If I stretch my toes out, they fit comfortably but It's difficult to hold me feet in that stretched position for very long.

I really like the shoes, with the exception of the length. I was wondering what suggestions you all had for stretching them out.

Some shoes stretch in width, but most really don't stretch in length. Leather can stretch - rubber soles always want to go back to their original length. You didn't mention which Red Chilli shoe you have. Those with downturned toes (aka banana lasted) exacerbate the problem. You need to buy new shoes the appropriate size.

2 months may just not be enough time to really stretch out some shoes. And for a performance oriented shoe, 30 minutes of use is actually a long time. Don't stand around in the shoes. Only wear them when you're climbing and then take them off between routes. But realistically, you just got shoes that didn't fit, especially for someone who has been climbing for 5 months.

Shoes are a very personal thing but I tend to agree with csproul about sizing. I learned the hard way when I first started many years ago that, for me personally, I prefer a shoe that feels like a tight second skin. I remove my shoes when I'm not actually climbing (eg. belaying, chilling out, etc.). I recently returned a pair of shoes that I thought were the right size after one month of climbing. They stretched out too much. They felt too comfortable and I found that they almost seemed to lack that stiffness that I like when standing on small edges. So I returned them, exchanged for a different model of the same manufacturer (more specific to my climbing style) and now I'm happier than a pig in shit.

Learning can be an expensive undertaking. Buy a pair that fits you best so that you'll look forward to getting on the wall. Everybody has their preferences. Some climbers like it tight, some like 'em snug. As long as they don't feel like you're in clown shoes, you should pick 'em depending on what you will be doing. Let the gear drive the mission. Big wall trad climbers will wear their shoes for an extended period of time in comparison to a single pitch sport climber.

Did you buy these shoes in a store where you actually tried them on or did you buy them online? Its always better to try shoes on to ensure a perfect fit. If you know exactly what size you wear in a particular shoe, then you can order them online, but only after you have tried them on previously and know that that size does indeed fit you.

The problem may be that you are wearing shoes with a symmetrical toebox meant for people that have Morton's foot. (Second toe being longer than the big toe.) This might explain why it's your big toe having the issues.

It's almost a right of passage - new climber buys shoes too small, sells them for pennies on the dollar, and buys the proper size next time. Lesson learned. Congratulations, you've become a real climber now. :-)

Do you mean that you can wear your shoes for half an hour straight, or a half hour cumulative? Some people would tell you that if you can wear your shoes for half an hour without removing them they are too big (if we're talking aggressive bouldering/sport shoes). If you're just hanging out in your shoes, take them off. Climbing shoes are meant for climbing not standing.

Do you mean that you can wear your shoes for half an hour straight, or a half hour cumulative? Some people would tell you that if you can wear your shoes for half an hour without removing them they are too big (if we're talking aggressive bouldering/sport shoes). If you're just hanging out in your shoes, take them off. Climbing shoes are meant for climbing not standing.

Do you mean that you can wear your shoes for half an hour straight, or a half hour cumulative? Some people would tell you that if you can wear your shoes for half an hour without removing them they are too big (if we're talking aggressive bouldering/sport shoes). If you're just hanging out in your shoes, take them off. Climbing shoes are meant for climbing not standing.

ever do long multipitch? ... especially trad ...

You're starting to sound like Jay. You knew what atp was talking about. It's right there in the post. Right shoes for the right job. I've got comfy shoes that I can wear all day for long multi-pitch trad. I've also worn tight shoes that I removed at each belay on all day routes.

You're starting to sound like Jay. You knew what atp was talking about. It's right there in the post. Right shoes for the right job. I've got comfy shoes that I can wear all day for long multi-pitch trad. I've also worn tight shoes that I removed at each belay on all day routes.

thats weird i know people who easily climber harder than me or you (according to yr profile) who do so in shoes they can easily stand in for more than an hour ...

im not saying shoes dont make a difference ... but im not one to go up and tell em theyre doing it all wrong when i cant even grovel up what they can warm up on

IMO the OP has been climbing for 5 months ... painful shoes for beginners aint worth it, you should be strengthening yr feet/toes, and working on footwork ...

You're starting to sound like Jay. You knew what atp was talking about. It's right there in the post. Right shoes for the right job. I've got comfy shoes that I can wear all day for long multi-pitch trad. I've also worn tight shoes that I removed at each belay on all day routes.

thats weird i know people who easily climber harder than me or you (according to yr profile) who do so in shoes they can easily stand in for more than an hour ...

im not saying shoes dont make a difference ... but im not one to go up and tell em theyre doing it all wrong when i cant even grovel up what they can warm up on

IMO the OP has been climbing for 5 months ... painful shoes for beginners aint worth it, you should be strengthening yr feet/toes, and working on footwork ...

Well, I've met plenty of people that can climb harder than me in flip flops, but that really isn't the point is it? I agree that the OP is a beginner and probably shouldn't be climbing in shoes that are painful or that they cannot wear for a sustained period of time. But they already own such a pair of shoes. What I and other people are suggesting is that the shoes may not be useless and they may still be useful in the context of gym climbing and cragging, where a half hour of use at a time should be plenty. Nobody (until you brought it up) is suggesting that this would be good for multi-pitch climbing.

So, I've been climbing for about five months now and I've been loving it. Two months ago, I bought a brand new pair of Red Chili climbing shoes.

The shoes are brilliant; they have brilliant grip and they're nice and small.

The problem is that, while the shoes are wide enough, they're too short. I've been wearing them as much as possible, but within half an hour of wearing them my big toe hurts very badly due to being bent and scraping on the shoe so much.

If I stretch my toes out, they fit comfortably but It's difficult to hold me feet in that stretched position for very long.

I really like the shoes, with the exception of the length. I was wondering what suggestions you all had for stretching them out.

i'm not sure if they will stretch anymore, i bought a pair of 5.10 mocs a couple years ago and they still fit like they did when they were new. every post i read about them said to size them 1 to 3 sizes smaller than normal because they stretch so much. i found that to be untrue for me. i am glad i got them to fit to begin with. i think they stretch so much with most people because they get them to small and their foot eventually pushes them out. i also recommend only wearing them while climbing and if you need shoes that will work for longer periods of time then you just need biggers shoes.

heres a very relevant article from someone who knows a thing or two about climbing ...

http://www.highinfatuation.com/...size-climbing-shoes/The next most important thing is sizing. Climbing is very much about using your feet. If your feet hurt so much you canít put full weight on them, youíre not going to be able to use your feet to your full advantage. So while you do want your toes slightly squinched inside the shoes (for normal gym or face climbing use, not crack climbing!), you donít want them smashed to the point of pain. Leather shoes will stretch, and synthetic shoes will re-form and loosen slightly, but I would go for the shoes that make your toes feel squinched but not jammed, if that makes sense. If your toes are really curled and smashed together inside the shoe, they are going to hurt more and more and make you use your feet less and less. Over time if the shoes stretch out or loosen up, you may choose to downsize in the future. But comfort is key, and especially when you are a newer climber who hasnít yet developed shoe-specific calluses on your toes and killed all your nerve endings When in doubt, you always want to error on the side of slightly too big. And itís always good to have a pair of big, comfy shoes around even if the next pair you get is smallerĖthey can be good for crack climbing, for days when your feet are swollen, or for long, easy multi-pitch routes.